Letter to the Editor: It's All in a Name

My dad was a coal miner. We moved to Dragerton, Utah in 1953, and I've lived here most of my life. Back in the 60's there was a small group of people that wanted to incorporate Dragerton. They held two public elections and the residents of Dragerton voted down the incorporation of the town.

For any of the old timers or the people who remember, during Miner's vacation this town was like an empty ghost town for two weeks. Everybody went back to Colorado, New Mexico, Arkansas, or wherever they came from. In 1972 during Miner's vacation a small group of people had a special election and incorporated the town during that two-week vacation.

The name was changed from Dragerton to East Carbon. So now these years later our city fathers have merged Sunnyside, East Carbon, and Columbia as one town, which I have no problem with. But now it comes up to the name.

I've heard different names brought up, and then at first I heard that only the city fathers were going to be able to vote for it. But then I also heard that Mayor Doug Parsons and the counsel members decided to let the people have a vote. Well that seems like absolutely the way America should be run.

Now I am informed that we can vote, but we can't vote for Dragerton, Sunnyside, Columbia, or East Carbon. That is not American when you can only vote for what they say you can vote for. Personally when I leave town I always say I am going back to Dragerton.

My vote would be for Sunnyside or Dragerton just because of the history. So I put on my Facebook what name people that have lived here would like. Within 30 minutes or so I had over 60 people say Dragerton.

I am just asking if we get a chance to vote, let us have a free vote. Not a restricted vote. Being a long time resident of Dragerton means a lot to me.